Gender and Sexual reproductive health rights activists have shown that online based gender based violence is currently high among Rwandan youth.
This was revealed by female activists who appeared on Mama Urwagasabo talk show held on November 28, hosted by journalist Scovia Mutesi, as part of 16 days of activism to end violence against women and girls in Rwanda.
Rwanda Consortium, to address challenges surrounding access to comprehensive SRHR services to marginalized youth, especially those with compounded disabilities.
Chance Muhoza, the Youth Engagement and Capacity Building Advisor with the “Make Way” project- implemented by Voluntary. Service Overseas (VSO) Rwanda said they have received several reported case of abuse that is done on social media channels and internet, where most youth are engaged.
“The photos and videos that women and girls post online are in many cases manipulated to insult, undermine women with bad comments, and this has led to cases of depression,” Umuhoza said.
Umuhoza showed that other youth groups which still have challenges of GBV include youth in the village communities and especially those with compound challenges such as teen mothers who also have disabilities but also living with HIV/Aids.
The 2018 Rwanda Mental Health Survey (2018RMHS) conducted by the Rwanda Bio-Medical Centre (RBC) revealed a prevalence of 11.9% (19,110 cases) of depression in the general population versus 35.0% (1,271 cases) in the sub-population of survivors of the Genocide.
However, recent cases highlighted on mental health cases among youth also suggest that using the internet and social media (where many are bullied with their nudes and deep AI fake images and videos) has been one of the causes of raising cases of depression and compelled the Rwanda Bureau of Investigation (RIB) to warn youth on cyber bullying offences.
These cases are not only seen in digital world but also inside the religious circles because the subject of GBV is not commonly discussed in churches, according Reverend Pastor Theresa Mukamakuza, the Executive Secretary of the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians.
“In most cases, for couples, we marry them as holy couple but we don’t tackle marriage realities such as physical and emotional abuse that should be anticipated and dealt with in a relationship,” Mukamakuza said.
Mukamakuza said that it is ungodly for a couple to abuse another especially in marriage and thus the religious organization should start engaging in educating couples on GBV to prevent more cases instead of covering them.
“GBV is supposed to be spoken about, but in religious teachings, they don’t interrelate spiritual and reality and that leaves the problems of the faithful unaddressed in life. That is why we must change so that the word of God is an answer in all things,” Rev. Mukamakuza said.
In many circumstances, most of these cases of GBV end up in lawsuits and investigation of criminal offences among other legal battles especially that more Rwandans are aware of their rights, according to the Ombudsman report 2023.
Female lawyer Emeline Nyembo said that these cases, if not handled well they can also be a cause of further abuse and thus the legal system in Rwanda has developed a way to mask victim’s identities.
“We are now dealing with GBV cases with masked identities or a codename system so as to encourage many to come out and speak out about GBV in Rwanda,” Nyembo said.
Nyembo also noted that cases of GBV included men but the challenge is that society has not evolved to allow men to express themselves as victims and this is another problem that has to be addressed in order to attain gender equality.
According to the Rwanda’s Demographic and Health Survey report published by the National Institute of Statistics (2019/20); 37% of women and girls who are aged between 15-49, had experienced physical or sexual, or psychological violence. The corresponding proportions among men are 30%.
The same report indicated that 46% of ever-married women and 18% of ever-married men have experienced spousal, physical, sexual, or emotional violence. Although not as widespread, violence against men exists in Rwanda, and male victims should not be ignored. We should all feel concerned and ready to fight it as a society.
As possible solutions to prevent more cases of GBV, the above experts encouraged more victims to speak out, report cases, avoid posting images that can result to bullying. but also build youth confidence in fighting such cases
The team also called on the civil society and government to provide safe spaces and safe services for victims to pursue justice, but also vividly see the role of religious organization in fighting GBV.
